Benefits of a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables

We know we need to eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables everyday. Actually now, to prevent cancer, 8 to 13 servings per day are recommended. A serving is one cup of raw fruits or vegetables, or ½ cup cooked. At a recent lecture I asked a lunch audience to raise their hand if they had at least one fruit or vegetable already that day. No one in that group raised their hand. This is not uncommon. Our processed and convenience foods contain very few fruits and vegetables.

To prevent chronic diseases, fruits and especially vegetables are very important. Vegetables especially have the antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals in the correct combination that help keep the blood sugar in balance, create better energy in the body, and along with fruits build up the immune system.

Each color found in fruits and vegetables focus on building the immune system in its own way. It is important to get a variety of colors, so that you will get a full range of phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) in your daily diet. Research is finding that eating whole fruits and vegetables gives you many more nutrients than you could possible add to a vitamin and mineral supplement. There are over 12,000 phytochemicals, and I have yet to see a supplement, unless it has whole fruits and vegetables in it, have all of the 180 different vitamins or minerals that are required by our body to function daily.

The different colors in fruits and vegetables help our immune system react to different stresses in our daily life. So look at the different colors in your diet. See if they include each of the colors listed below. This is one way to know that you are getting the full benefit of nutrients possible in your diet.

Green Foods ? broccoli, kale, leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

Green foods are especially good for the circulatory system. They contain many minerals and B-complex vitamins. Some phytochemicals found in green foods are sulforaphane and indoles that are very powerful anti-cancer compounds. Researchers have tried to use these as isolated phytochemicals but find that they only work while in the whole food form.

Red Foods ? tomatoes, watermelon, red cabbage.

Red foods contain many phytochemicals that reduce free radical damage. The phytochemical called lycopene is especially helpful to prevent prostate problems, and reduce the effects of sun damage on the skin. Lycopene is the phytochemical that make the red foods get their red color.

Orange Foods ? carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe.

The orange foods have the carotenoids the help prevent cancer by repairing the DNA. As our mothers told us, carrots, and other orange foods, are especially good for our eyes, and help with night vision. The deep orange foods help our bodies get the vitamin A we need, without getting excess that can lead to osteoporosis.

Green/Yellow Foods ? yellow corn, green peas, collard greens, avocado and honeydew melon.

This combination of green and yellow foods contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. These foods are also helpful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Orange /Yellow Foods ? oranges, pineapple, tangerines, peaches, papaya, nectarines

These foods that are orange and yellow in color are high in antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, and help to improve the health of the mucus membranes and connective tissue. They help prevent heart disease by improving circulation and preventing inflammation.

White/Green Foods ? onions, garlic, celery, pears, chives

White and green combination foods contain a variety of phytochemicals. Garlic and onions contain allicin, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal phytochemical, and they can act as a poor man's antibiotic. Add garlic and onions in your meals to reduce the effects of potential toxicity of high fat meats. Celery has many minerals, especially organic sodium, that keeps the fluid in the joints healthy.

Red/Blue/Purple Foods ? red apples, beets, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, prunes, concord grapes, blackberries.

These dark colored red/blue/purple foods are very rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that protect again heart disease by improving circulation and preventing blood clots. They have many anti-aging phytochemicals that keep the blood circulating reducing the effects of the Standard American Diet rich in trans fats and processed foods.

When you make a salad make sure you have a variety of different colors. Strive to get at least 5 colors on your plate. Use fruits to balance the rest of the colors needed. This way you will get closer to the 8 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables required, and you will get the variety of nutrients you need daily.

Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is a Traditional Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in southwest Michigan. She is the author of "Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia" and "Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder." She is a professional speaker on natural health topics. She can be contacted at DoctorOelke@aol.com or through her website at http://www.NaturalChoicesForYou.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Is Your Food Aging You?

Did you know that the food you eat could be... Read More

Snack Attack - How to Keep Your Hunger Between Meals from Getting the Best of You

The Benefits of SnackingYou may feel regretful about snacking, but... Read More

Preventing Heart Disease: What to Eat

About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.1.1 million Americans... Read More

Food Selection for Gastric Bypass Patients

Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More

Exposing the Best Source of Protein Myth

An American culture that is marked by a chronic lack... Read More

How to Grow Sprouts

Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a... Read More

Confessions of a Personal Fitness Trainer

Last year I had a number of clients who started... Read More

The Ins and Outs of Proper Nutrition

Secretly we all want just a few things in life,... Read More

Using Calcium and Magnesium for Constipation

Calcium helps reduce constipationUsing calcium and magnesium in the right... Read More

Green Tea, or not to Green Tea?

Wow! Is it just me or? Wait! Let me start... Read More

Essential Fatty Acids -The Good Fats

Fats (triacylglycerols) ...Some basic terminology ...fat or fatty acid ...In... Read More

The Versatility of Actinase Protein Complex

The ingredients list found on the back or side panel... Read More

Getting More Minerals From Your Fruits and Vegetables

Before the thirties, people knew the importance of mineral. Their... Read More

Glutamates

Approximately 30 years ago, food manufacturers were competing against the... Read More

Antioxidants and Your Health

Get back to the basics - eat fresh at home... Read More

The New Food Pyramid: Another Attempt At Providing Easy Answers

The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992,... Read More

Rediscovering Protein - Corrective Action in the American Diet

Protein must be a part of a healthy diet for... Read More

The Worshipful Company of Bakers

Bread is one of the oldest known recipes to man.... Read More

Busting the Dairy Myth ? The Truth About our Health and Dairy

Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on... Read More

Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 3)

AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by... Read More

Guerilla Health Tactics: 5 Snappy Rules For a Healthier, Happier You

The subject of health care itself often seems plagued with... Read More

The Best Protein Powder

What is the best protein powder to buy? I get... Read More

MonaVie Acai Berry Juice - The Tree of Life from Amazonian Rainforest...

What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known... Read More

Eggs For Balance

The egg, the symbol of birth, of life and, therefore,... Read More

Heart Health ? Fish Oils To The Rescue

In a world where heart disorders and diseases are becoming... Read More

Does your body know its ABCs??

What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people... Read More

Toxic Metal Removal Through Restored Protein Anabolism. Focus: Mercury Toxicity

Toxic metals exist in our environment as pollutants in our... Read More

Antioxidants - Add a Lean, Muscular Body to the List of Benefits!

I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing... Read More

Dieting -- The Basic of Meal Planning

BASIC MEAL & MENU PLANNINGAs a basis for meals and... Read More

The Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Diet, Your Health & Your Life!

Because I believe diet and exercise are so important, I'm... Read More

5 Tips for Dining Out and Eating Healthily

Here's food for thought! Did you know the average restaurant... Read More

The Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high fructose corn... Read More

Juicing - A Beginners Guide

You can spot a juicer a mile off at the... Read More